Agapanthus plant named ‘WP001’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Agapanthus , ‘WP001’, that is characterized by its fast growing and fast multiplying growth habit, its inflorescences that form dense umbels of flowers that are white in color, its extended flowering season blooming; re-blooming from July to December in South Africa, its very floriferous blooming period producing an unusually high number of inflorescences, its partial resistance to fungal infection from  Macrophoma agapanthii  and its small to medium plant size.

Botanical classification: Agapanthus hybrid.

Varietal denomination: ‘WP001’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAgapanthus of hybrid origin and will be referred to hereafter by itscultivar name, ‘WP001’. ‘WP001’ represents a new perennial grown forlandscape use.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program underthe direction of the Inventor in Hartebeespoort, Northwest Province,South Africa. The objective of the breeding program is to develop newcultivars of Agapanthus that are fast growing, have early and repeatblooming habits combined with unique flower colors.

The new cultivar arose from a cross made by the Inventor in October of2007 between unnamed and unpatented proprietary plants of hybridAgapanthus plants from the Inventor's breeding program as the female andmale parents. The Inventor selected ‘WP001’ in November of 2009 as asingle unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the abovecross.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision by the Inventor in Hartebeespoort, Northwest Province, SouthAfrica in February of 2010. Asexual propagation by division and in vitropropagation has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivarare stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. The characteristics in combinationdistinguish ‘WP001’ as a distinct cultivar of Agapanthus.

-   -   1. ‘WP001’ exhibits a fast growing and fast multiplying growth        habit.    -   2. ‘WP001’ exhibits inflorescences that form dense umbels of        flowers that are white in color.    -   3. ‘WP001’ exhibits an extended blooming season; re-blooming        from July to December in South Africa.    -   4. ‘WP001’ exhibits a very floriferous blooming period by        producing an unusually high number of inflorescences.    -   5. ‘WP001’ exhibits some resistance to fungal infection from        Macrophoma agapanthii.    -   6. ‘WP001’ exhibits a small to medium plant size.

The female parent of ‘WP001’ differs from ‘WP001’ in having a shorterflowering season, in having fewer flowers per inflorescence, and inproducing fewer inflorescences. The male parent of ‘WP001’ differs from‘WP001’ in being slower growing, in having a shorter flowering season,in being more susceptible to disease, and in having flowers that arebi-colored. ‘WP001’ can be most closely compared to the Agapanthuscultivars ‘White Storm’ (not patented) and ‘Snowball’ (not patented).Both cultivars are similar to ‘WP001’ in having a small to medium planthabit and in having flowers that are white in color. ‘White Storm’differs from ‘WP001’ in having inflorescences with taller floweringstems and longer pedicels and in having a shorter blooming period thatcommences later. ‘Snowball’ differs from ‘WP001’ in havinginflorescences with taller flowering stems and in having a shorterblooming season that commences later.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Agapanthus. The photographs weretaken of 3 year-old plants (from a division) of ‘WP001’ as grownoutdoors in Linbro Park, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of several plants of‘WP001’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of an inflorescence of‘WP001’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with thephotographic and printing technology utilized and color values cited inthe detailed botanical description accurately describe the colors of thenew Agapanthus.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of one year-old plants (from adivision) of ‘WP001’ as grown in a greenhouse in Loxley, Ala. Thephenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental,climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under allpossible environmental conditions. The color determinations are inaccordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinarydictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Re-blooms from July to December with peak            bloom in November in South Africa.        -   Plant type.—Semi-deciduous (climate dependent) herbaceous            perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Basal rosettes with inflorescences emerging            from the rosette center.        -   Height and spread.—30 to 42 cm in height in bloom (foliage            height an average of 21 cm) and an average of 35 cm in            spread.        -   Cold hardiness.—Some resistance to fungal infections caused            by Macrophoma agapanthii has been observed.        -   Root description.—Thick and fleshy, primarily 155B in color.        -   Propagation.—Tissue culture and division.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Ligulate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Truncate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—2-ranked.        -   Leaf apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Leaf aspect.—Emerging leaves erect, then cascade.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, color on upper and lower surface            matches leaf coloration with the mid rib basal portion of            lower surface slightly conspicuous and 144C.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 28 cm in length and 2.3 cm in width            when mature.        -   Leaf surface.—Smooth, glabrous, and dull on upper and lower            surface.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 18 leaves per rosette 2.5 cm in            width at the base.        -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper and lower surface; a blend of            144A to 144C and blending to 137C near apex and 157D at            base, mature leaves upper and lower surface; a blend of 137A            and N137A and 157C at base.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile to base.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Dense, full umbel.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower type.—Rotate, campanulate, base of tepals fused.        -   Flower number.—An average of 85 flowers per umbel.        -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 14 cm in height and 9 cm in            diameter (when flowers are half open).        -   Flower size.—An average of 3 cm in depth and 3 cm in            diameter.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Average of 2 weeks.        -   Flower aspect.—Outward to slightly downward from the            pedicle.        -   Peduncle.—1 to 2 per rosette with rebloom, very strong,            slightly oval in shape, held at an average angle of 0° to            15° (upright=0°), average of 30 cm in length and 1 cm in            width at distal region and 6 mm in width at proximal region,            a blend of 137C and 138A in color, satiny, glabrous and            slightly glaucous surface.        -   Pedicels.—Very strong, average of 3 cm in length and 1.5 mm            in width, held erect to outward (0° to 180°), color 144A.        -   Flower buds.—Obelliptic in shape, average of 2.5 cm in            length and 8.5 mm in width, NN155A in color with slight            stripes of 144C.        -   Inflorescence bract.—Deciduous spathe-like enclosing            inflorescence prior to opening, ovate in shape, acuminate            apex, truncate base, an average of 3.5 cm in width and 1.7            cm in width, color outer and inner surface; a blend of 144A,            144B and 137D, outer surface glabrous and satiny, inner            surface glabrous and dull.        -   Tepals.—6 (3 inner and 3 outer), rotate, obelliptic in            shape, lower 30% fused (tube portion 1 cm in length and 5 mm            in width, entire margins, broadly acute apex, glabrous on            all surfaces, inner and outer tepals are an average of 3 cm            in length and 1.2 cm in width (near apex), both surfaces of            inner and outer tepals are NN155C in color with a light            tinge of 157B on the midrib of the lower surfaces.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, stigma is disk-shaped shaped, 0.5 mm in            length, and 157C in color, style is 22 cm in length and            NN155C in color, ovary is oblong in shape, 1 cm in length,            2.5 mm in width and 145A in color.        -   Androcoecium.—6 stamens, anthers are dorsified, irregularly            oblong in shape, average of 1.5 mm in length, and 7B in            color, filament is 2.5 cm in length, 1 mm in width, and            NN155C in color, lower 7 mm in adnate to inner surfaces of            tepals, pollen is abundant in quantity and 15A in color.        -   Fruit/seed.—Have not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Agapanthus plant named‘WP001’ as herein illustrated and described.